Violence and Divorce

Here is short post from the archives.

I was reading Malachi this morning and it struck me how the Lord says that He hates divorce because it covers one's garment with violence. (Malachi 2:16) Today it is fashionable, especially among younger Christians, to discuss the issue of violence, especially as it relates to social justice. Many pastors and scholars call upon Christians to be people of peace, to resist violent solutions to problems around the world. America's military exploits are placed under the microscope to determine if they line up with God's Word or not. Exploitation of workers in both America and abroad are deplored by socially conscious Christians. Some of this is a move in the right direction. For too long, the conservative church has merely cheered on the American state instead of challenging it Biblically.

However, as I read this passage in Malachi it occurred to me that most of these socially conscious Christians would not take a strong stand against divorce. Which is odd, because the Scriptures explicitly say that divorce is an act of violence. If we are against violence, then we should be against divorce because divorce is violence. However, divorce is rarely if ever preached against. It makes one wonder whether those socially conscious Christians are making biblical arguments against violence or whether they are simply interested in going along with current fads in American secular society?

The Law and the New Elijah

Here is my last blog post on Malachi. It covers 4:4-6. You can read the passage here.

 Exegesis

            Malachi closes with an odd set of three verses.  But they serve as a fitting reminder of what Christians of all times have been called upon to do.  First, Malachi tells Israel to remember the Law of Moses. (vs. 4) This word “remember” is used thirteen times in Deuteronomy.  It is a call to remember the covenant that God instituted at Mount Sinai and to obey.  True prophets, like Malachi, do not reject the Law of Moses or add to the Law of Moses. They expound or preach the Law of Moses.  Just like the great prophet Jesus, they do not destroy the law. (Matthew 5:17-20) Here at the end of the history of Israel, over a thousand years after Moses was on Mt. Sinai the command remains; remember the law.  It is worth noting that following Malachi there was four-hundred years of silence. However, during this time, Israel still had God’s word.  She still had the law.

            Second, Malachi says that a new Elijah will come who will help Israel obey the law. (vs. 5-6)  Elijah was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. He changed the course of Israel’s history by his ministry. But his change was temporary. Malachi, like many of the prophets, saw a coming day, when God would judge and save his people; the day when Elijah would come. This Elijah will help God’s people fulfill the fifth commandment, “honor your father and mother.”  He will restore broken relationships, especially in the home.  He will do this so that Israel will not become a curse. The word “curse” is the same term used for the nations in Canaan that God drove out by Joshua.  Elijah will come so Israel will not become like the nations.  These last verses began to be fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:17, Matthew 11:10, 11:14)

  

Applications

Do not forget the law of God. The Mosaic Law has change and been adjusted in the New Covenant, but it has not been discarded.  A study of the first five books of the Bible are worth your time and energy (Exodus 20-25 and Deuteronomy 19-25).

Christ came to restore broken relationships, especially those in the home.  Therefore one of the fundamental jobs of the church is to preach the word of Christ so that it builds and strengthens marriages and the bond between parents and children.  It is unfortunate that often the church tears apart the relationship between parents and children, thus undermining God’s law and the gospel.  This principle of reconciliation also extends to other relationships as well. With the coming of Christ true unity in families and communities became possible. Without Christ all we have is brokenness, separation, and war. 

There Will Be a Harvest

Here is my exegesis and application of Malachi 3:13-4:3. If you would like to read this passage, which I recommend, you can go here. 

Unquestionably, if the hope of reward is taken away and extinguished, alacrity [enthusiasm, willingness] in running will not merely grow cold, but will altogether be destroy. John Calvin

Exegesis

            One of the most discouraging things in life is when your work bears no fruit.  You go out and plant, water, and weed then a worm devours your plants. You work hard at your job putting in extra hours, trying to get the promotion and it does not come.  You work fixing up your basement only to have the water heater break and flood the new carpet. The Christian life can feel much the same way. We sacrifice our money, our time, our energy and in some cases our dreams to follow our Lord and the payback can seem meager. If we assume our labor will not bear fruit we will lose heart and become lazy in our work. However, the Bible is clear that all labor done in the Lord will eventually be harvested. We see this explicitly in these New Testament verses:

I Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Galatians 6:9  And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

II Timothy 4:8  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

            As we come to the end of Malachi we see that fellow saints in the Old Testament also feared that their labor might be in vain.  They felt that it had been useless to serve the Lord. Like their New Testaments counterparts, God gives them reassurance that he has not forgotten them or their deeds. Those who fear God and obey his commands will be rewarded.

            Malachi 3:13-4:3 is the sixth and final disputation in Malachi. There are several key differences between this disputation and the previous ones. First, God debates not with the wicked, but rather with the righteous. These people in this section are described as those who have “kept His ordinance and walked as mourners.” (vs. 14)  The phrase “kept his ordinance” can mean generally obeying the commands of God or it can refer to priestly duties. It is possible these are priests whose lives are very hard because no tithe is being brought into the house of God. (c.f. 3:8-9) These priests mourn over the sin in the land and exaltation of the proud. These priests have honored God with their actions but are now dishonoring him with their words. They speak harshly against God.  Their service to him is unprofitable while the proud and wicked are blessed and raised up. Those who test God go free without feeling the divine wrath that they deserve. (vs. 15) This is similar to what we saw in 2:17.

            The second key difference in this passage is that for the first time in Malachi we see the people accept the rebuke and change. Verses 13-15 are a rebuke from God. God is telling the priests that their words have been out of line. The priests listen and turn from their wicked ways. Those who fear the Lord get together and talk with one another. (vs. 16) It would appear that these men encouraged one another to remain faithful to God.  While the exact words of the discussion are not recorded, Malachi does give us the result.  The result is that God hears, writes their names in a book of remembrance, promises to spare them, to be their father, and to come in judgment against the wicked. (vss. 17-18)

            Malachi then gives a more precise picture of this Day of Judgment.  On this day the wicked will be completely burned up like stubble. (4:1) Note the similar phrasing to 3:15 where words “wicked” and “proud” are also used. God is reminding the priests that even though the unrighteous appear to go free and be blessed, their end is destruction. (See Psalm 73:17-20) The fire of God’s presence, which burns up the wicked, will be a Sun of Righteousness for those who fear the name of the Lord. (4:2) God will heal his people and make them fat like cattle that have no want.  Finally, on this day God’s people will trample under the wicked. (4:3) It is an explicit teaching of both the Old and New Testaments that God’s people participate in the judgment of the wicked.  (c.f. Micah 5:5-6 and Revelation 2:26)

Applications

Those who are serving God faithfully are tempted to become discouraged when their service does not immediately profit them. God tells us in both the Old and New Testaments that our service to Him is not in vain. (I Cor. 15:58) However, we often think that God must fulfill his promises immediately.  We must be careful, as we faithfully serve the Lord, not to grumble when God’s promises are delayed.  Let us work to please God and let him reward us as he wishes and when he wishes. The harvest is as sure as our God's promises. 

It is a great comfort and encouragement to have other Christians challenge us to turn back to God. We are not sure what was said in Malachi 3:16, but somehow the godly encouraged one another to remain faithful to the Lord and rebuked one another for their lack of faith. It is not enough just to be around each other. We must use our words to spur one another on to righteousness. (Hebrews 10:25)

We must remember that the difference between the righteous and the wicked is not always seen in this life, but will be clearly seen at the final judgment. (3:18-4:1-3) As we go through life, we should keep before our eyes the judgment day. This keeps us from losing heart and growing slack in our labor for God. We can say, “In this life I have trouble and tribulation as I strive to obey God. But in the next I shall be rewarded, while the wicked shall be paid back for all eternity.”

To love God is to fear God. Three times in this passage the priests are described as those who fear God. (3:16 twice, and 4:2) The fear of the Lord is not a popular subject in the modern church. But here those who fear God get a wonderful blessing; their names are written in the book of remembrance.  Joyce Baldwin says, “The thought is that not one believer will be forgotten by God.”  God knows those who fear him and belong to him. He is our Father and our names are stamped upon the pages of God’s book, from which they can never be erased.  Let us have courage, grace and strength to be faithful to the Lord. “Let us not grow weary,” Malachi says, “For our names are written by God in his book. Therefore our reward is sure.” 

Will You Rob God?

           I have been occasionally working through the Minor Prophets. Here is my exegesis and application of Malachi 3:6-12. I would encourage you to read the passage before you read my post. You can read it online here. 

Exegesis

          Statistics can often be manipulated and thus are not always trustworthy. However, they can give us a general overview of where a society is at.  So when we hear that the average tithe in America is around three percent that should give us pause.  If the average tithe was eight percent we might shrug it off and say that is close enough. But three percent is nowhere near the pre-gospel tithe of ten percent. If those in the Old Testament were required to give ten percent, how much more should we in the New Testament age give? The failure of the tithe has led to many churches being hip-deep in debt. Debt can cause churches to focus on making money to pay off the debt, which diverts them from the main task of preaching Christ. This can have a tremendous impact on the spread of the Gospel, the discipling of the nations, and the glorifying of God in this fallen world.  It is no surprise that Jesus spoke about money so much.  How we use our money shows our character and priorities. 

            But this is not simply a 21^st century American problem.  Over 2,000 years ago the Israelites had a hard time bringing their tithes into God’s house.  They were pinched for money and felt that they could not afford to give to God.  In this section of Malachi God urges Israel to bring in the tithe and see how he would bless her.

            At the beginning of this section, the Lord urges Israel to return to him and repent of their sins. God begins the debate by telling Israel that He is unchanging. (vs. 6) God is reminding Israel of His mercy. We need this reminder. Repentance comes quicker when we realize that God is merciful. God does not change therefore Israel is not destroyed. (Isaiah says something similar in Isaiah 1:9.)  Israel can repent and turn because God’s mercy is always present.  But then Israel says, “In what way shall we return?  What kind of repentance do you want from us, Lord? What sign can we show that our repentance is sincere?” God follows up their question with a question of his own, “Will a man rob God?” Israel replies, “In what way have we robbed you?” So this debate includes two questions by Israel instead of one: How shall we return and how have we robbed you? The main point of this disputation is now brought front and center: Israel has robbed God by failing to bring tithes and offerings into his house. Israel can show sincere repentance, a true turning to God, by tithing once again.  

            The tithes and offerings supported Israel’s priesthood. Tithes were a tenth of all produce, crops, and flocks. (Leviticus. 27:30-33)  These were given to the Levites to support them in their temple work, since their tribe did not have any specific plot of land in Israel. Every three years a tithe was taken to support a feast where not just the Levites, but the poor were invited as well. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)  “Offerings were the portions of the sacrifices set apart for the priests and the voluntary gifts for a special purpose.” During Malachi’s time Israel was neglecting the house of God and the men appointed to oversee the house of God. Haggai addresses this same problem in Haggai 1:2-4, where Israel was building their houses, but refusing to build the house of God.

            The Lord invites Israel to test him and see if he will not bless them with great blessing when they bring the tithe into his house. (vss. 10-12) During the flood in Genesis 7:11 the windows of heaven were opened in judgment to destroy the earth. But here God says, he will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessing upon Israel. He mentions two specific blessings. First, the ground will once again be prosperous. (vs. 11) Second, the nations will call Israel blessed. (vs. 12)

Application

There is always room for repentance because God does not change. (3:6-7) It does not matter what sin has been committed God invites us to return to him.  The Lord does not change therefore we are not consumed. The Lord mercy’s is everlasting.  The Lord does not change and therefore we can always repent.

It is a great sin to neglect the care of God’s house and those who minister in it. There have been some changes in tithes and offerings with the coming of Christ. None the less, the principle in this passage remains the same. God expects his people to use their funds to support the ministry of the Church, his house. This would include paying the pastor’s salary, upkeep of the facilities necessary for worship, providing for missionaries, and care for the poor. Those who refuse to tithe rob God.

Tithing is one of the central ways God blesses his people. It seems odd that giving results in getting, but the Scriptures are clear that this is the way God made the world to work. Proverbs 11:23-24 gives us the same principle. When we faithfully tithe God promises to bless us. This does not mean luxury and wealth, but it does mean that God will sustain us and his church.  

The nations will bless the Church when she tithes. It is hard to know exactly how this works, but here is a possibility. When the people of God tithe, the poor are cared for.  The world sees how the church cares for the poor and glorifies God.  Another possibility is that the tithe money is used to send out missionaries.  As the nations receive the Gospel they bless the Church and her Lord. However it exactly works out, the passage is clear: When we tithe the nations will see and bless God’s people. 

The God Who is Patient

Applications from Malachi 2:17-3:5

• God does allow the wicked to prosper and sin to go unpunished for a time. (2:17) It should not shock us when this occurs. He rarely judges quickly.  For this we should be grateful because it gives men time to repent.  But we also must not forget that God will not be patient forever. Men who flaunt their evil will be judged by God either in history or at the final judgment.   
• God comes to his people with two purposes: purification and judgment.  (3:3 & 5)These two things go hand in hand. Today God does not come visibly to his temple as he did when Christ appeared, but he still comes to us, especially in worship.  Therefore two purposes of worship are to purify us of our sins and to judge those who refuse to repent.         
• The phrase “who can stand” in 3:2 is a military term meaning that no one and nothing will be able to stand against God’s advance.  We should find great comfort in this. We see the number of people set in battle against God. We see the money they have at their disposal. We see them sitting in places of power and we are tempted to think that God’s hand will be stopped, his purposes thwarted. But Malachi reminds us this is not the case.  The hand of God cannot be stopped by the rank, wealth, or the strength of men and nations.
• Only a pure people can offer a pleasing sacrifice to God. (3:2-5) Those who worship God must be clothed in the shed blood of Christ and must live a life of confession and repentance. This is why we confess our sins in worship and throughout the week. We cannot offer to God an acceptable sacrifice if we are not clean. Those who continue in sin, but still want to worship God, will find that he will come and be “against them.” They will be judged.  

Where is God?

Exegesis of Malachi 2:17-3:5

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away your ticket and jump off. 

You sit still and trust the engineer.  Corrie ten Boom

Though God take the sun out of heaven, yet we must have patience. George Herbert

One of the most perplexing questions facing those who believe in God’s sovereignty is “Why doesn’t God act when he has all the power?”  We sit back and watch as disasters occur, tsunamis crush cities, earthquakes devastate countries and tornados ravage the Midwest. Beyond these natural disasters, there are wicked men who rule around the world. Greedy corporate executives strip thousands of people of their pensions.  Tyrants drop bombs on their own people. Pornography producers are some of the richest men in the world.  The next door neighbor seems rich and happy, yet never attends church. Where is God in all this?  Why does evil seem to triumph?  Why do good men die unknown and wicked men die with a taxpayer funded funeral broadcast on T.V.? 

  When we begin our journey in Christ it can seem like the white hats always win and the black hats always lose.  But as time stretches on we see evil triumph. Time can erode our confidence in God’s justice. Our brothers during Malachi’s time had the same problem. They had listened to Haggai and Zechariah’s great prophecies about the coming Kingdom of God, yet evil still seemed to be in control. In this section of Malachi God assures his people that he is good and has not left his throne. We would be wise to hear these ancient words from the ever living God about the certainty of his judgment and the need for patience.

2:17 begins the fourth disputation/debate in Malachi.  The focus in this debate is on Israel’s attitude towards God. Israel is wearying God with their words.  What are these words?  They are that God must either love evil or not exist. (2:17) There is no justice in Israel. Sin is rampant.  Immorality reigns.  So men begin to ask the question we all ask when the evil prospers, where is God? Most of us, even in our darkest moments, have never uttered the words in this chapter. But we have thought them. The first statement in verse seventeen verges on blasphemy because it implies that God must love evil.  The the second statement is more subtle, but the idea is the same: “The God of justice is missing.” Despite the harshness of the statements, for the first time in Malachi we are dealing with a people who are actually concerned about righteousness.  They want to see righteousness in the land. However,  because God acts too slowly they assume he is absent or he loves evil.  If these men hold on to these views it could lead to hopelessness and falling away from the faith. But God is merciful. He gives these men assurance of his coming judgment/justice.

            Malachi gives Israel the promise that God will suddenly come to his temple to judge (3:1) and purify his people, especially the priesthood. (3:2-3) When he does this Israel will once again be able to offer to the Lord a pleasant offering because she will be holy. (3:4)  God says that when he comes he will execute judgment upon all evil doers. (3:5) The word for judgment in 3:5 is the exact same word translated justice (NKJV) in 2:17. The justice Israel is looking for in 2:17 comes in 3:5. God is reminding those who think he is too slow to be patient. Evil will be dealt with his timing.  God does not love evil nor is he absent. But he is patient, often much more patient than we are.

            Malachi 3:1 is a prophecy of John the Baptist who is the messenger sent to prepare the way for the Lord. (Matthew 11:10 and Mark 1:2)  This means that the prophecy in this section is primarily about the Christ coming to purify and judge Israel. 

Malachi 2:10-16

I have such a hatred of divorce that I prefer bigamy to divorce. Martin Luther

God is the witness to every marriage ceremony, and will be the witness to every violation of its vows. Thomas V. Moore

The statistics on divorce are alarming. By now, we have heard them so often that the news bounces off us and has no impact. Even if you take a best case scenario, divorce is rampant in American culture and in the American church. At the best divorce is around 30% in the American church and some put it over 50%. It should come as no surprise that Satan, the master tactician, continues to attack one of the central ways God advances his kingdom. Without a unified home, there is no raising of godly children, there is no picture of Christ and the Church to the outside world, and there is no strengthening of the Church. Satan doesn’t hate marriage. He hates God, Christ, and His Kingdom. Very few things destroy the work of the kingdom as quickly as failed marriages. However, what may come as a bit of surprise is that the desire to be loosened from our marriage vows is not a new sin. Jesus addresses this head on in Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-12. And now in our study of Malachi we come to chapter 2, which contains one the most extensive teaching on divorce in the Scriptures.

This third disputation in Malachi continues the theme of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Unlike in 1:6-2:9, the people under God’s microscope are not just the priests, but all of Israel. This section is the most famous in Malachi because it deals directly with divorce. It is not hard to understand, but the applications are very important and frequently ignored.

The key phrase God uses to describe Israel’s attitude is that of faithlessness or treachery. The term is used in verses 10, 14, 15, and 16. Israel’s faithlessness is seen in two areas. First, instead of marrying Israelite women who worship God, they marry pagan wives. (2:11-12) God calls this profaning the covenant. Malachi says that the Lord will cut off from among the people anyone who marries a pagan. Notice that, just like our earlier passage, the Israelites are still bringing offerings, despite living in sin. (vs. 12) Second, the wives they have they treat with contempt and divorce with ease. (2:13-16) Notice here that marriage is referred to as a covenant. It is clear from Ephesians 5 that if marriage is similar to the relationship between Christ and his church then it is a covenant. But only here in Malachi and in Proverbs 2:17 is the word covenant used in describing marriage. God says both that unfaithfulness in marriage and the failure to marry godly wives show a general unfaithfulness by Israel where they do not live as if God is their father. (vs. 10)

Applications
• Our faithlessness in relationships shows our faithlessness to God. The Apostle John says the same thing in I John 4:20. We see the connection here between the first and second great commandments. (Matthew 22:35-40) At no point can we say we love God, if we hate those around us, especially our wives and children.

• The state of our marriages shows the state of our hearts. Divorce and treating our wives with contempt means we are far from God. We lament the divorce rate in America and we should. But there are many Christian marriages where the husbands treat their wives poorly. God considers this treachery and will not let it go unpunished. Just because you are not divorced does not mean your marriage is thriving.

• Christians are to marry Christians. The intermarrying of Christians with pagans will bring a curse upon God’s people. Paul makes this same point in II Corinthians 6:14-18.

• Weeping, tears, and emotion are not a substitute for obedience (vs. 13-14) This does not mean we never weep or cry out to God, but we must want to obey him as well. Mere display never pleases God. He does not accept it if it does not lead to growth in obedience.

• Marriage is a covenant and therefore is not to be entered into lightly, nor to be exited easily. There is no stronger bond in Scripture than a covenant. The way we treat the vows we make on our wedding day says a lot about our character. Do we see the vows as flexible and easily abandoned? Or do we believe that they are unto death?

• One clear purpose of the marriage covenant is the raising of godly children. (vs. 15) There are more reasons for marriage than this, but to exclude this reason it to gut marriage of one of its primary purposes. A marriage that purposely excludes children is a marriage in rebellion against God.

• God hates divorce. (vs. 16) Unfortunately, the American church does not. Thus we sit under the curse of God.

• Divorce is equal to violence. (vs. 16) What is interesting about this is many modern socially minded Christians who shout from the rooftops against violence are perfectly fine with divorce. How odd, since according to Malachi, they are one and the same.

• Twice in this section the men of Israel are urged to take heed to their spirit. (vs. 15 and 16) Divorce and contempt for our wives arise out of the heart. There may be external factors, such as finances, that put pressure upon a marriage, but in the end divorce comes from sin that has taken up residence in the heart. As Proverbs says, we must keep/guard our heart. (Prov. 4:23)

Despising the Name of the Lord: Malachi 1:6-2:9

You should most certainly have your Bible open to Malachi 1:6-2:9 while you read this.

Taking up nearly one third of Malachi, this is the longest section in the book. The priests are the target of this section. God asks the priests why they do not honor him as father or reverence him as master. The Lord says that they have despised his name. (vs. 6) But the priests seem to be in the dark. They think they are innocent and therefore ask God to bring proof. God brings proof by bringing two pieces of evidence into the courtroom.

The first piece of evidence is the lame offerings the priests give to God. (1:7-14) The priests think they are holy. They do not see how they have despised God’s name. But God points a finger at their mockery of his law to show how they drag his name through the mud. The priests, who are supposed to carefully obey God’s commands, offer to God lame, blind, and sick sacrifices. (vss. 7-8) Leviticus 22:18-25 and Deuteronomy 15:21 forbid this type of offering. God says even the Persian governor would not accept this offering. Why does Israel think God will accept it? (vs. 8) Israel wants God’s favor (vs. 9), but does not want to obey God. Therefore God tells them they should shut up the doors of the temple. (vs. 10) Their offerings are in vain.

He then reminds them that one day all the offerings will be pure and they will not just be offered in Israel, but in all lands. The promise given in 1:11 is wonderful picture of the spread of the Gospel. Let’s take a closer look at what it is saying. First, these pure offerings will cover the entire earth. The phrase “from the rising of the sun, until its going down” makes that clear. Second, incense was a picture of prayer. So this passage is saying that the earth will one day worship the Lord through prayer. Third, the word “pure” is never used of the offerings in Leviticus. Malachi is saying that these future offerings will actually be more holy than the offerings in the Old Testament. Finally, the Gentiles are the ones making these offerings, not the Levitical priesthood.

God closes his opening argument by saying that Israel has become weary of worship. That is they have become weary of God. (vs. 12-13) The temple was now several decades old. Israel had been hoping for the glory of the Messiah to come soon. But it had not. The priests became weary of coming to God, even “sneering” at the offerings and allowing Israelites to bring unworthy offerings. So God says they are cursed. (vs. 14)

The Lord continues to press the case against the priesthood in 2:1-9. The focus here shifts from the offerings of the priests to their teaching. Malachi begins by issuing a call to true repentance. He tells the priesthood to “take these things to heart.” (vs. 2) He says if they do not heed this call and turn back to the Lord he will curse them. The Lord will curse their blessings. Those good things which the priesthood has will become a burden. Their descendants will be rebuked. (vs. 3) The offerings and the feasts, which are supposed to be the glory of Israel, will become humiliation, as the dung from these feasts are spread upon the faces of the priests. This will make them unclean, unfit for service in the temple. Unlike their father Levi, who taught the word of God, these Levites have caused Israel to stumble over God’s law. (vss. 5-8) So they will finally be taken away, driven from the temple as unclean and unholy because of their refusal to listen to God’s word and refusal to teach God’s word. The Levites were supposed to be glorious, a great light to Israel. Instead they will become contemptible. (vs. 9) If the priesthood refuses to turn from their sins God promises to curse them.

Applications
• We must bring into worship what God requires. That means the Bible is our guide for worship. In the New Covenant there is more freedom in worship than the old, but the Bible is still our guide. God expects our best in worship, this means our singing, praying, preaching, etc. must be of high quality.

• We cannot expect God’s favor if we do not seek to obey his commands. To ask God’s blessing, but refuse to listen to his voice is to make a mockery of His Word.

• Weariness in worshipping God is a terrible sin and will place one under his curse. It is easy as we move through our Christian life to become lazy and apathetic in our worship. Time can be a problem in our Christian life. Pastor Dale Davis makes this point when he comments on Genesis 16 and 17. He notes that thirteen years passed from the end of chapter 16 to the beginning of 17. Then he says this, “What had happened during the previous decade-plus. Abraham played veterinarian to his goats, settled scraps among his herdsmen, sat up with Sarah when she had the flu—in short all the sorts of things that one does in the wash-your face, brush your teeth, go to work routine of daily living. And year follows year that way, and Yahweh’s promise goes unfulfilled. Is the writer not telling us that time can be a severe problem for faith?” We must constantly draw near to God in prayer, asking him to keep us zealous for his face. Time can erode our joy and delight in coming into God’s presence.

• Those whom God has called to preach and teach the word, must understand the weight of the task they have been given. Pastors and elders are not priests, but they do perform a priestly duty by bringing God’s word to his people. Malachi says the priests of his day will be cursed because they caused people to stumble over the law. How many ministers will stand before the Lord of all the earth ashamed because their flocks stumbled over the law due to their teaching? All those who teach the word must bear in mind the awful judgment if they fail at the task. Thus James says that not many should seek to be teachers. (James 3:1)

Malachi 1:1-5

Background
538 B.C. Cyrus, King of Persia, issues a decree allowing Israel to return to the land. (II Chron. 36:22-23, Ezra 1)
538 B.C. First return to Israel takes place under Zerubbabel. (Ezra 1-6)
536 B.C. Restoration of the temple begins, but stalls.
520 B.C. Haggai and Zechariah are sent by God to encourage Israel to finish building the temple. (Ezra 5:1-2)
515 B.C. The temple is finished.
460 B.C. God sends Malachi to prepare the people for the ministry of Ezra and Nehemiah.
458 B.C. Ezra returns to the land. (Ezra 7-10)
445 B.C. Nehemiah returns to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

The general dating of Malachi is pretty clear. He prophesied during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. This can be seen from the following facts. First, he prophesied during a time when the temple and priesthood were established and things had become routine. Thus he had to prophesy following the rebuilding of the temple under Zerubbabel, Haggai, and Zechariah. Second, he uses the term “governor” in 1:8. This is a Persian term, again indicating a period when Israel was under Persian rule. Persia ruled from 550 B.C. until around 360 B.C. Finally, Malachi addresses many of the same issues found in Ezra and Nehemiah. For example, the issue of marriage to foreign wives is addressed in Ezra 9-10, Nehemiah 13:23-27 and Malachi 2:11-16. Also both Nehemiah and Malachi address the misuse of the tithe. (Nehemiah 13:10-13 and Malachi 3:8-10) All of this is to say that Malachi probably prophesied during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

However, dating Malachi more specifically is difficult. Did he prophesy just before the reforms of Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah? Did he prophesy during the reforms? Or did he prophesy following the reforms? The time period that makes the most sense is that Malachi prophesied just prior to Ezra and Nehemiah. The lack of specific mention of either Ezra or Nehemiah and the reforms they instituted would indicate that God used Malachi to soften the people of Israel up in preparation for the ministry of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The people during Malachi’s time were downtrodden. The temple had been rebuilt, but not as glorious as before. They had heard or read the great promises given to Haggai and Zechariah about the coming kingdom. However, the picture painted for them in passages like Haggai 2:6-9 and Zechariah 14 was not unfolding before their eyes. Instead they were just a band of rag tag Jews, who were still in subjection to the Persian Empire. No great king had appeared to deliver them. Joyce Baldwin notes that Malachi is a great book for God’s people when they are just waiting. He says, “Malachi’s prophecy is particularly relevant to the many waiting periods in human history and in the lives of individuals. He [Malachi] enables us to see the strains and temptations of such times, the imperceptible abrasion of faith that ends in cynicism because it has lost touch with the living God.”

Malachi is structured around six disputations or debates between God and his people. Here they are:
1. First Disputation: 1:1-5
2. Second Disputation: 1:6-2:9
3. Third Disputation: 2:10-16
4. Fourth Disputation: 2:17-3:5
5. Fifth Disputation: 3:6-12
6. Sixth Disputation: 3:13-4:3
7. Closing Exhortation: 4:4-6

The primary theme of Malachi is the covenant. Malachi begins with God’s mercy in calling Israel into the covenant. Then he moves on to showing the various ways Israel has been unfaithful to the covenant. Throughout the book God promises to be faithful to his covenant even if Israel is unfaithful.

Malachi 1:1-5 How Do You Love Us?
Malachi begins by quoting a question from Israel, “In what way have you loved us?” (vs. 2) Here is the first sign of Israel’s spiritual state during the time of Malachi. She does not believe that God loves her anymore. We are not told the reason for Israel’s doubt. Maybe she expected the promises of Haggai and Zechariah to have been fulfilled by now. Maybe she expected to get her nation back and no longer be under Persian rule. Whatever the reason, she was no longer sure of God’s love.

Malachi gives two specific ways Israel can know that God loves her. First, God elected her to be his covenant people. Malachi says that God loved Jacob and hated Esau, his brother. (vss. 2-3)The point here is not that Jacob was more lovely than Esau. The stories in Genesis show that Jacob was far from perfect. The point is one of election. God elected Jacob and he did not elect Esau. Paul draws this exact point from this passage in Romans 9:13. So Malachi tells Israel God has elected them thus can be assured of his love.

Second, Malachi tells Israel that her enemies will surely be cast down. Edom was a descendant of Esau. Sometime prior to Malachi the Edomites had been driven out of their territory by invaders. The beginning of verse 4 shows that the Edomites had been “impoverished” but hoped to return to the land. God assures Israel that this will not happen. The point here is that Israel has been the recipient of God’s electing love, unlike the descendants of Esau who have and will continue to receive his wrath.

How can Israel know that God loves her? He has shown his covenant love in electing Israel and he has not judged her as he judges the other nations.

Applications
• The election of God’s people is to be a source of comfort and reassurance, not doubt. Many well-meaning Calvinists make election a reason for doubting God’s love. Malachi does not use God’s election this way. Instead, he tells a very disobedient Israel that God loves them because he has chosen them.

• The judgment of God against the enemies of the church is a visible symbol of his love for His people. Throughout history many enemies of the church of have risen. But none of them stand forever. Nations come and go, but the Church of Christ endures. God’s protection of the church and casting down of her oppressors is a sign of his covenant love.